Diablo III Marathon Kills Taiwanese Teenager

I will be the first person to admit that I have something of a video game addiction. If I'm not playing some sort of fighting game -- the amount of hours I'm dumped into the recent "Mortal Kombat" is as embarrassing as it is impressive -- chances are I'm wandering around the landscape of Skyrim in search of adventure. Bethesda's latest offering has sucked down over 100-plus hours of my life, and I don't anticipate it ending anytime soon. However, despite my devotion to such experiences, I do know when to draw the line.

Unfortunately for a Taiwanese teenager with a major addiction to Blizzard's action RPG "Diablo III", a 40-hour marathon was simply too much for his body to handle. After securing a room at a local Internet cafe, the teen dove head-first into his virtual adventure, refusing to stop for such essential elements as sleep or food. By the time an employee discovered the poor guy on Sunday, he was already passed out at his table.

Although the teen, who was only identified as Chuang, woke up when he was approached by the individual, he soon collapsed, prompting an emergency trip to a nearby hospital. Sadly, he was pronounced dead shortly after this arrival. Since an autopsy is currently pending, authorities are unsure what, precisely, caused his death, though doctors say that a blood clot could have formed as a result of sitting for such an extended period of time.

As strange as it may sound, this isn't the first time something like this has happened in Taiwan. In February, Chen Rong-yu suffered a fatal heart attack while playing "League of Legends" at an Internet cafe. According to reports, he was dead for nearly nine hours before anyone noticed.

In May, gamer Russell Shirley also experienced a heart attack as a result of his devotion to Blizzard's highly-addictive actioner. According to reports, Shirley had taken three days off from work to devote to "Diablo III", a decision which ultimately resulted in his death.

Video game addiction is an increasingly serious problem, particularly with the younger generation. In fact, if you need some pointers on how to stay healthy while enjoying your hobby, check out the Healthy Living Guide provided by the folks at Xbox LIVE. It may sound silly to those who don't play video games, but many people simply aren't aware of the damage prolonged gaming can have on the human body.